Eye protector for vehicle drivers



J. R. GALES EYE PROTECTOR FOR VEHICLE DRIVERS Feb. 28, 1928. v 1,660,993

Filed March 18. 1926 IHVEHTOR Patented eb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN RUSSELL earns, or READING, ENGLAND.

EYE PROTECTOR FQR VEHICLE DRIVERS.

Application filed March 18, 1926, Serial m. 95,706, and in Great Britain December 10, 1925.

V The object of my invention is to provide convenient, efficient and simple means for protecting the eyes from dazzl ng light, the said means being adapted to be folded when not in use and ismore especially intended for the drivers of motor road vehicles whether,

cars or cycles, but the invention not limit'ed thereto. Iwillpresume, for the purposes of description, that the said means are to be used by the driver of a'motor vehicle and that the rule of the road is as in the British Isles. y t a I It has been proposed to providea device for the purpose stated comprising a top mask and two lateral flaps one for each eye which may be opaque and which flaps are arranged obliquely in front of the eyes, whilst allowing a clear view of the road in front, such device being pivotally mounted to be moved up in frontof the wearers forehead out of use or moved down about a pivot when required for use, and it has also been proposed to combine with a spectacle, frame one or more vertical screens so attached across a part of the lens carrier as to lie close to the pupils of the eyes. 7 V a According to my invention I prov de a shield, lor shields, carried, by any suitable means, upon the head of the driver, and so arranged and applied, that it, or they, wlll constitute no impediment to the drivers sufficient view of the road normally and, when a vehicle approaches with strong, or dazzlng, head-lights, the driver can, by but a slight movement of his head, protect his eyes from the dazzling light of the approaching vehicle and still have sufficient view of the road to enableh'im properly to drive and direct his vehicle without necessitatin any use of his hands for adjustingthe sai means.

The following is a convenient construction of means in accordance with my invention, but I do not limit myself to the precise details hereinafter described.

Upon a wire, or other suitable, frame adapted to be carried upon the head of the wearer, preferably by means which pass over the ears, I carry, attach, or form, means, such, for instance, as socket-pieces, to which shields are secured, for instance by stems passed into the sockets, these stems and sockets, or their equivalents, being adapted to support the shields in proper an lar position, the one shield to be held 0 ose to the right temple of a vehicle driver and to project to a suflicient distance beyond the right be folded when not in use.

eye and the left shield toproject fromthe nose, or near the nose, to a sufficient distance beyond the left; eye, the angle of the projectng parts of the shields and their extentof that by a slight move-i:

projection being such ment of the headtowardshis left, the eyes of the, driver will be protected from the tray," of dazzling lights approachinghim on, whilst his ahead view Wlll not be impeded, or only be impeded to so small an extent as not to interfere with his viewof the road forlproper driving, suitable means are his right,

ICE; a

providedfor example a hinge or hinges with 1 or withoutsprings for allowing the shields to right-hand shield can be secured to the righthand arm of a spectacle-frame or other sup port, and-the left-hand shield be hinged to the bridge-piece of the spectacle-frame, or

For example, the

other support,so that the. whole device can I be folded down onto the frame, in a compact form.

Ihave shown in the accompanying drawinga; device according to videdwith two shields as aforesaid which when not in use are adapted to be folded up and inserted in a case, Figure 1 saidide'vice in perspective with forwardly and rearwardly of the frame and Figure 2 showing the said i with its parts in their closed tion.

A spectacle frame 1 is made of any suit able material but preferably of horn or tortoise shell or equivalent light material having a horizontally elon ated shield 2 for protecting the right eye, ormed of a suitable translucent, semi-transparent or opaque material secured rcarwardly at 3 to the right hand side-arm 4 of the spectacle frameextending forwardly and rearwardly of the frame beyond the frame end; the said shield is of a suitable width and length to protect the right eye when in use from rays from the right hand side penetrating forwardly and rearwardly and for this purpose the said shield is continued sufficiently far hack on the arm of the frame as shewn at 5; the forward edges may be straight whereby a clearer demarcation between light and shade is obtained, or for convenience when folded the shield may be curved at its forward edges as shewn at 6 in Figure 1. A left eye shield 7 is mounted on a spring hinge 8 secured to the spectacle frame at 10 adjacent to the leftor folded posimy invention prodevice in plan hand sideof" thebridge piece 9: ofthe saidframe, so as to block out rays of light coming from the right. The said shield 7v is sufficiently extended forwardly. to block out the rays of light coming from the same direction and may be made with straight edges at its front part or it may be curved as indicated at 12. l/Vhen not'in use the arms of the frame of the device are closed like a pair of spectacles whereby the rightshield 2 is brought back to be against and behind the main framewhile the left shield 7 is pressed backto lie against thefrontof the left eye frame, when vit'can be inserted in a case.

The shield 7 projecting from, or near the nose, may: be provided with a-rear part 11, adapted to sit; close; against the sideof the nose and prevent the entrance of dazzling rayszbetween the edge of the shield'and the face ofa'thewearer and this, when the said shield is hinged to the spectacle frame, or

other support, maybe arranged to hold the shieldkin positionwhen the device is not in use. i

The shieldsmayv be made of any suitable material whether transparent, or translucent, or semiopaque,or-even opaque which will sufficiently intercept or. divert, theobjectionableraysof light, but preferably they are made of; a translucent, or semi-transparent,

material whereby the wearer is caused to see the headlights ofithe approaching car or vehicle reduced in power or dimmed by rea;

son of the semi-transparent shields, while he has :aclear vision of the road in front through that portionofithe field of vision not covered; by the shields. The said shields dazzle of approaching lights comprising a5 frame adapted'to be-carried'upon the head,

in combination with shields-hingedto-saidi I frame and-foldable therewith, one shield ex-= tending forwardly and rearwardly; of the frame beyond the frame end: a

2. Means for protecting the eyes from-the dazzle of, approaching lights comprising a spec-taclejframe, socket-pieces, a bridgepiece connecting said socket pieces, and apair of armshinged to said socket-pieces, all forming'part of saidframe, in: combination with two eye-shields, one of said shields extend-t mg forwardly and rearwardly of said frame,

its-forward'part being-foldable and hinged? to said bridge piece and the other shield ex tending forwardly and rearwardly of the frame,- being fastened to one of'said arms,

substantially as describedi In testimonywhereof" I have signed=my name to this specification.

JOHN-1 RUSSELL GAL Es; 

